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Myerstown City Zoning Code

PART 10

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

§ 27-1001 Erosion Control.

[Ord. 841, 5/22/2017]
See State erosion and sedimentation control regulations and the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance. Compliance with State erosion and sedimentation control regulations shall be an automatic condition of any zoning permit for work that involves earth disturbance. The Zoning Officer may require that evidence of compliance with such regulations be submitted to the Borough.

§ 27-1002 Nuisances and Hazards to Public Safety.

[Ord. 841, 5/22/2017]
1. 
No land owner, tenant nor lessee shall use or allow to be used any land or structures in a way that results or threatens to result in any of the following conditions:
A. 
Transmission of communicable disease, including conditions that may encourage the breeding of insects or rodents.
B. 
A physical hazard to the public, or a physical hazard that could be an attractive nuisance that would be accessible by children.
C. 
Significant risks to public health and safety, such as but not limited to, explosion, fire or biological hazards.
2. 
Additional Information. If the Zoning Officer has reason to believe that the proposed use may have difficulty complying with the standards of this Ordinance, then the Zoning Officer may require an applicant to provide written descriptions of proposed machinery, hazardous substances, operations and safeguards.

§ 27-1003 Steep Slopes.

[Ord. 841, 5/22/2017]
The land adjacent to a proposed or existing building shall not be re-graded in such a way that makes it difficult to reach each side of a building with a fire ladder.

§ 27-1004 Waterway Setbacks.

[Ord. 841, 5/22/2017]
See Part 9 for the Floodplain Ordinance regulations.
1. 
Wetland Studies. It shall be the responsibility of each applicant to determine whether land areas proposed for alteration meet the Federal or State definition of a wetland prior to submittal of development plans to the Borough. If the Zoning Officer has reason to believe that wetlands may be present on a site proposed for development or subdivision, the Zoning Officer may require that the applicant provide a suitable wetland delineation study prepared by a qualified professional. Where disturbance is proposed in an area that may be wetlands, the Zoning Officer may place a condition on a zoning permit to require that the applicant submit evidence that a wetland delineation has been officially confirmed under U.S. Army of Engineers-approved procedures.
A. 
Note - An indicator of possible wetlands involves the presence of hydric soils in soil mapping of the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service.
2. 
Waterway Setbacks. Unless a stricter requirement is established by another provision of this Ordinance, no new principal building shall be constructed or placed within the area 25 feet landward from the top-of-bank of any perennial creek.

§ 27-1005 Noise.

[Ord. 841, 5/22/2017]
1. 
No principal or accessory use, or operations or activities on its lot, shall generate a sound level exceeding the limits established in the table below, when measured at the specified locations:
Sound Level Limits by Receiving Land Use/District
LAND USE OR ZONING DISTRICT RECEIVING THE NOISE
HOURS/DAYS
MAXIMUM SOUND LEVEL
1. At a Lot Line of a Residential Use in a Residential District
1) 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. other than Sundays, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, New Years Day, Labor Day and Memorial Day
2) 9:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. plus all of the following days: Sundays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, Easter Sunday, Labor Day and Memorial Day
1) 62 dBA
2) 55 dBA
2. Lot Line of a Principal Residential Use that is not in a Residential District
1) Same as above
2) Same as above
1) 65 dBA
2) 62 dBA
3. Any Lot Line other than "1." or "2."
All times and days
70 dBA
Note- dBA means "A" weighted decibel.
2. 
The maximum permissible sound level limits set forth in the above table shall not apply to any of the following noise sources:
A. 
Sound needed to alert people about an emergency.
B. 
Repair or installation of utilities or construction of structures, sidewalks or streets between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., except for clearly emergency repairs which are not restricted by time.
C. 
Lawnmowers, snowblowers, leaf blowers and similar equipment.
D. 
Household power tools between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m.
E. 
Agricultural activities, livestock and other animals.
F. 
Public celebrations authorized by Borough Council, a Borough Government agency, or a County, State or Federal Government agency or body.
G. 
Unamplified human voices.
H. 
Routine ringing of bells and chimes by a place of worship or municipal clock.
I. 
Vehicles lawfully operating on a public street, railroads and aircraft.

§ 27-1006 Odors and Dust.

[Ord. 841, 5/22/2017]
No use shall generate odors or dust that are offensive to persons of average sensitivities beyond the boundaries of the subject lot.

§ 27-1007 Control of Light and Glare.

[Ord. 841, 5/22/2017]
This section shall only regulate exterior lighting that spills across lot lines or onto public streets.
1. 
Street Lighting Exempted. This section shall not apply to: a) street lighting that is owned, financed or maintained by the Borough or the State, or b) an individual light of less than 10 feet total height in a front yard or attached to the front of a building.
2. 
Height of Lights. No luminaire that is within 150 feet of a lot line of an existing dwelling shall be placed at a height exceeding 35 feet above the average surrounding ground level. This limitation shall not apply to lights needed for air safety nor lights intended solely to illuminate an architectural feature of a building, or lighting of outdoor public recreation facilities.
3. 
Diffused. All light sources, including signs, shall be properly diffused as needed with a translucent or similar cover and/or shielded to prevent exposed lighting elements from being directly visible from streets, public sidewalks, dwellings or adjacent lots.
4. 
Shielding. All light sources, including signs, shall be shielded around the light source and carefully directed and placed to prevent the lighting from creating a nuisance to reasonable persons in adjacent dwellings, and to prevent the lighting from shining into the eyes of passing motorists.
5. 
Flickering. Flashing, flickering or strobe lighting are prohibited, except for non-advertising seasonal lights between October 25th and January 10th.
6. 
Gasoline Sales Canopies. Any canopy over gasoline pumps shall have light fixtures recessed into the canopy or screened by the canopy or enclosures or otherwise controlled so that lighting elements are not directly visible from another lot or street.
7. 
Lighting of Horizontal Surfaces. For the lighting of predominantly horizontal surfaces such as parking areas and vehicle sales areas), lighting fixtures shall be aimed downward and shall include cut-off measures as needed to properly direct the light.
8. 
Off-Premises Signs (Billboards). Any new exterior lighting of an off-premises sign shall be attached to the top of the off-premises sign and project downward.